Just because the weather is cold doesn’t mean you can’t still go to the lake. Kentucky is fortunate to have so many lakes with cabin rentals around.

State parks near several of the state’s lakes offer rentals, as do a number of privately owned properties.

There’s one privately owned development on Lake Cumberland that really stands out. Lee’s Ford Marina Resort, just four miles from Somerset, is exceptional in that it offers visitors the complete package, even in the winter months.

Lake Cumberland was formed in 1949 with the damming of the Cumberland River, and with several first-class marinas dotting the 1,255 miles of shoreline, the area has become a mecca for summer vacationers.

The Lee family originally owned the land next to the river where Arthur Prather built the first marina and restaurant sometime around 1950. Over the years Lee’s Ford changed hands several times, with each owner making significant improvements. In 2002, the Karembellas family sold the property to J.D. Hamilton.

The 900-slip marina with a full service ship store that carries sometimes hard-to-find apparel and shoes is beyond what many marinas offer. It is considered the largest marina on Lake Cumberland.

Sitting on a hill well above the marina are 17 cottages and 20 motel-style rooms. This is where you might want to come to relax and get away from it all during the winter months. Each cottage has a living room/kitchen area and a fireplace. Knotty pine, ’50s-era walls only add to the ambiance of being out and about. A refrigerator, stove, microwave, and one or two bedrooms provide enough comforts of home to inspire you to stay several days. A screened-in porch and outdoor grill accompany each unit.

And if all of this isn’t enough to make you want to visit Lee’s Ford, surely one of the best restaurants in the region will help. Just a short walk across the road from the cabins and next door to the one-room units, The Harbour Restaurant and Tavern is one of those special places to dine.

A casual atmosphere with several outside and glassed-in decks overlooking the marina, the view is awesome, no matter what season it is. The recently opened tavern side of the restaurant offers a full dining experience and beverages to go with it in front of a huge fireplace. Anchoring the opposite end is a beautiful antique bar that the Hamilton family found at Joe Ley’s Antiques in Louisville.

If by chance lake cabins are not your thing, you may want to consider a houseboat rental at Lee’s Ford. House boaters will tell you that some of the best days on the water are during cooler weather. Not everyone wants a day in the sun, and a leisurely float and overnight on the lake can do wonders as a getaway.

A couple of other places in the area you may want to check out if you go are Haney’s Apple Farm nearby on Ky. 80. It’s a tourist attraction in its own right, and those fried apple pies are – well, you decide for yourself. Amon’s Sugar Shack in Somerset on Ky. 127 at stoplight number six is a definite breakfast stop. Your choice of baked goods will almost guarantee a bag or box of something to go.

The bottom line is during the winter months you don’t have to quit traveling. Be creative. Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow, Barren River Lake, Rough River Lake, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley are just some of the opportunities.

A couple of days away from home in front of a wood-burning fire can do wonders for your soul.

– For more information on Lee’s Ford Marina Resort, call (877) Lees Ford or visit http://www.leesfordmarina.com.

– Gary P. West can be reached via e-mail at west1488@bellsouth.net .